Lebanese officials say an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon has killed 10 people, one of the deadliest attacks in the current violence along the Lebanon-Israel border.
The building that was hit, in the city of Nabatieh, housed Syrian refugees, Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad told the BBC. Israel said it had targeted a Hezbollah weapons depot, but the facility’s owner denied this.
In response, Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia and Lebanese political group, fired a barrage of rockets at a kibbutz in northern Israel and another target, an Israeli military post.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said there were no casualties in the first attack, while two Israeli soldiers were injured in the second attack.
Israel and Hezbollah have traded near-daily fire across the border since an October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian militants prompted Israel to invade Gaza with the aim of destroying Hamas.
Tensions have escalated further in recent weeks after Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, in Hezbollah’s stronghold south of Beirut. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to respond to the assassination.
It comes as International mediators have urged Israel and Hamas to agree a ceasefire. in upcoming talks, amid concerns the war in Gaza could escalate into a regional conflict.
Iran has rejected calls from Western leaders to refrain from retaliating against Israel. over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in their capital Tehran last month.
But there are signs that Iran may have decided to delay its response amid ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza.
However, Mr Abiad said Israel’s actions showed it was not interested in the deal.
He also said a woman and her two children were among those killed in Nabatieh, and five others were in critical condition.
Hossain Tohmaz, the owner of one of the buildings attacked, said it was a “100% civilian facility” where people worked and lived.
“This is an aircraft hangar used for iron production, and that is a warehouse where we park trucks to load goods like solar panels. Workers live and sleep on the top floor,” he said.
Hours later, Hezbollah said it fired Katyusha rockets at Ayelet HaShahar, a kibbutz north of the Sea of Galilee.
The IDF said it detected 55 launches from Lebanon, some of which fell in “open areas.”
“Several fires have broken out in the area and the Israel Fire and Rescue Service is currently on the scene to extinguish them,” the Telegram update said.
A short time later, Hezbollah said it attacked an Israeli military position in Marj.
The IDF said one soldier was seriously injured and another lightly injured by a shell fired from Lebanon that fell on Misgav Am, located next to the Israel-Lebanon border.
“The soldiers were evacuated to hospital for medical treatment and their families have been informed,” the statement added.
The attack was one of the deadliest in Lebanon amid the current fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hours later, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing a Katyusha rocket at Ayelet HaShahar, a kibbutz north of the Sea of Galilee.
The IDF said it detected 55 launches from Lebanon, some of which fell in “open areas.”
“Several fires have broken out in the area and the Israel Fire and Rescue Service is currently on the scene to extinguish them,” the Telegram update said.
Shortly afterwards, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for attacking an Israeli military position in Marj with “two suicide bombers”.
The IDF said one soldier was seriously injured and another lightly injured by a shell fired from Lebanon that fell on Misgav Am, located next to the Israel-Lebanon border.
“The soldiers were evacuated to hospital for medical treatment and their families have been informed,” the statement added.
